


I’ll Mend Your Broken Heart

by brokenhighways



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-27 03:56:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2678111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jared asks Jensen to be his fake boyfriend for a day (to help him save face in front of his ex), he’s apprehensive. However that changes when he realises Jared’s ex-boyfriend is his former best friend Tom Welling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I’ll Mend Your Broken Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I started this ages ago as a bingo fic for the prompt 'beckon'. It's unbeta'd, so apologies for any errors!

Jensen is busy struggling to get past the hordes of people in the mall when he notices this guy to his left looking at him. Upon closer inspection, he realises that it’s Jared from his Biology class. Jared’s standing outside the theater in the mall, and Jensen would go over and say hi but he doesn’t know him well enough. He’s about to carry on walking when Jared catches him looking back and beckons him over. Jensen frowns for a few seconds, but then he shrugs and starts to head over there. It’s not like Jared is a douche or anything. The second Jared spots him moving; he starts to approach Jensen. Even though Jared’s tall as fuck, he manages to move gracefully.

Jensen’s not really sure why he’s noticing things like that.

“Hey,” Jared says once he reaches him. “It’s Jensen, right? You always save me a space in Biology.” Jensen blinks at that. Okay so, he might find Jared’s really hot and sexy, and he might kind of enjoy sitting next to him in class. But under no circumstances does he save seats for anyone. Unless moving his bag off the aisle seat so Jared can have somewhere to sit when he stumbles in ten minutes late counts? Jensen shrugs and nods at Jared.

“What’d you want?” he asks and Jared’s face twists into this adorable, nervous expression and Jensen just wants to do anything to make it go away. Or punch himself in the face for being ridiculously sappy over some mostly random guy he happens to have one class with.

“I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend,” Jared says quickly that Jensen has to take a second and just play it back over in his head.

“What?”

“My ex, Tom, his new boyfriend, and the rest of my friends are meeting me here for lunch and then a movie,” Jared says. “I may have told them that I was bringing a date, just to stop myself from being the fifth wheel.”

“So instead of being honest, you’re asking a stranger to pretend to be your date?” Jensen realises that he probably sounds like a dick, but it’s _hot_ and there are too many people. He’s not in the mood to participate in some sort of love war.

“You’re not a stranger,” Jared says slowly. “I mean, we’ve been sitting next to each other in class for months. You hum hair metal songs when you’re bored and there are countless other things I could mention but it’ll sound kind of creepy, so I won’t.”

Jensen frowns. “Oh well, I guess you know all about me.”

Jared’s phone vibrates in his hand, and Jensen watches as he looks at it, face falling as he reads the message.

“Look, forget that I asked,” Jared says eventually. “You’re right; I should just tell the truth. Tom and the guys are on their way over here anyway. I’ll see you in Bio next week.” He gives Jensen this _look_ , almost as if Jensen’s just murdered puppies in front of him and Jensen feels his shoulders slump. They tense right back up a minute later when Tom Welling slides up to them, with his usual smirk in place. It takes a couple of seconds for everything to click into place. Jared’s Tom is _Tom Welling_?! He wastes no time in sliding closer to Jared and grabbing his hand. He feels a spark as Jared’s handle settles in his, the kind that he gets when he comes across someone that he likes.

Jared gives him a small smile and Jensen feels butterflies beginning to ascend in his stomach. He does his best to push them away and ignore how he feels.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Jensen Ackles,” Tom says as he glances down at Jensen and Jared’s joined hands. “Really, Jared? You can do so much better.”

“After you, _anyone_ would be better,” Jared says mock-sweetly. Jensen’s not sure if he should feel slighted by that, but then he considers the fact that he’s only fake dating Jared for the purpose of this day and shrugs it off. Besides, after Tom, anyone really would be better. Jensen is not only unfortunate enough to share a dorm building with the jerk (and from what he’s seen, Tom’s door is essentially a revolving door of conquests) but he knows him from high school and they’re definitely not friends.

The rest of the group arrive before Jensen can get out a sharp enough response so he bides his time and sticks to Jared’s side. During lunch, Jared is quiet. Jensen wouldn’t presume to know the guy, but considering how chatty he can be in class – _at nine-seventeen am, for God’s sake –_ there’s definitely something off.

“Are you okay?” Jensen asks, once Mike – Tom’s new boyfriend – starts to tell them some story about how he once got stuck in a laundry chute. Jared doesn’t hear him at first and Jensen nudges him slightly and asks again.

“Yeah,” Jared says, in a tone that heavily implies that _no_ , he’s not alright. Jensen would offer to make out with him, but unlike Tom and Mike, he’s not here to put anyone off their food. So instead, he puts an arm around Jared and draws him closer. It should feel awkward, but it doesn’t. If anything, Jared fits right into the curve of his arm, and it’s like he belongs there.

It’s also completely worth it because Jared turns to face him, and gives him a beatific smile.

-

Two hours later, they stumble out of the movie hall, staggering slightly as their legs wake up. Jensen’s in high spirits; Tom spent most of the movie glaring at them both and Jared seems to have perked up. Once they're away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd outside, Tom suggests that they hang out in his dorm room. Jensen rolls his eye, grimacing when Jared catches his eye and shoots him a curious look.

"That's basically code for let's all go to his place and watch him stick his tongue down someone's throat," he says dryly. Tom's always been one for overcompensating.

"Yeah, pretty much," Jared mutters. "Wait. How do you know that?"

Jensen shrugs. "We used to be best friends in high school before he stole my girlfriend." And it's not even the girl part that he cares about because in all honesty, he wasn't that into her anyway. It was about bro code and Tom not only violated it, he completely annihilated it with his unwarranted smear campaign at the start of their senior year.

"I think he actually bragged about that a couple of times," Jared replies. He wrinkles his nose. "I think I might have terrible taste in guys. Granted, Tom and I first hooked up at a party and a _lot_ of alcohol was involved but still. It's not great on my part." Jensen's inclined to agree, but he's not about to shoot the guy when he's down. Instead he turns to the group and suggests that they go bowling. It's worth just to watch Tom splutter incoherently when the rest of the group agree.

"Guys, come on, hanging out in my room is way better than some stuff bowling alley," he whines.

"He's the worst bowling player ever to have lived," Jensen tells Jared in a low voice. Jared looks uncertain and he wonders if he's read this wrong. Maybe Jared still likes Tom and he's hoping they get back together. There's a weird, shaky flutter in his gut and Jensen wonders what the fuck is wrong with him. He's not here on a _real date_ and this wasn't his plan. This is Jared's show and he's just a willing participant.

"If you want to just back to his room then that's fine," he adds.

Jared gives him an incredulous look. "You're kidding, right? He's been humiliating me all day. It's time that we got to see him making a fool of himself."

"Hey, you're not making a fool of yourself," Jensen chides him softly.

Jared leans in closer so that the others don't overhear. "What do you call asking someone to be your fake boyfriend? And let's be real, like any one would really believe that a guy like you would date a guy like me."

Jensen stop to think about what he's saying and the words fly out before he gets a chance to analyse them. "Oh, trust me, if the circumstances were different I would not think twice about dating you." Jared's eyes widen in surprise around about the same time that Jensen's face turns red.

Luckily they're distracted by bowling alley argument, which Tom loses much to Jensen’s delight.

~

Tom is even worse at bowling than when they were kids. He barely scores any points, and when he does, it's down to Mike who is taking pity on him. Meanwhile, Jensen’s in the lead and doing his best to annoy Tom, with him and Jared embracing after each score is up. At first they’re consciously doing it, giggling to themselves when they catch Tom staring, but as they near the end of the second game, Jensen realises that he hasn’t even been checking to see Tom’s reaction, they’re just genuinely enjoying themselves. This is something that Tom seems to pick up on because Jensen’s laughing at something Jared’s saying when he’s shoved backwards.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Jared shouts angrily as he leaps to his defence. Tom ignores him and he glares at Jensen, his bright blue eyes blazing with anger.

“I get it okay,” he spits out. “I stole your fucking girlfriend all those years ago and now you’re trying to get me back.” Jensen snorts and rolls his eyes. Only Tom would cheat on a guy, dump him, see him with someone else and get jealous enough to act like they’re a piece of meat that he owns. He’s always been territorial and not only is Jensen sick of it, he feels incensed that Tom has no respect for Jared.

“Who says that I’m yours to steal?” Jared says. “You can’t be serious. _You_ dumped me.”

Jensen nods. “You can’t have your cake and eat it, man. Besides. You’ve got Mike now.”

“Yeah,” Mike says curtly. “What am I? Chopped liver?”

Tom turns to Mike and growls, "Not now." Mike huffs angrily but he makes no attempt to leave. Jensen's not sure what kind of hold he has over Mike, but he decides that he's done with the whole situation. Tom’s a jackass, and he’s always going to be one.

"You know what? I'm not going to argue with you. I'm with Jared now, so deal with it." He turns to leave, stopping when he realises that Jared's gone quiet. It hits him then that maybe Jared still feels something. Perhaps all of this was just to get Tom to take him back, and while Jensen knows that Jared is better than that, Tom has a way of charming people.

But Jared doesn't look conflicted. He's not even looking at Tom, he's staring right at Jensen. There's determination in his eyes as he holds up Jensen's jacket and beckons towards the door.

"Jared wait," Tom pleads. "We're your friends. You barely know Jensen. Don't be an idiot."

"You're an idiot if you think that I have any more interest in being your friend," Jared retorts. He gestures at the rest of the group, who are starting to look a little uncomfortable. "These aren't my friends. They're _yours_. And you're more than welcome to them."

With that, Jared turns and heads towards the exit. Jensen moves to follow him, though he can't resist throwing one last smirk in Tom's direction. Tom takes an angry step towards him but Mike's hand on his arm stops him from advancing further.

"That was amazing," Jared says when they reach outside. "Seriously, thank you. I should not be hanging out with a bunch of people who don’t even like me. It was stupid of me."

Jensen shakes his head. "You finally stood up for yourself. Nothing to do with me." Jared's smile is self-deprecating, but he doesn't say anything. It hits Jensen then that they've reached the end of the road, his objective is done and they're now free to go their separate ways. Given that Jared's just kind of lost a whole bunch of his friends (albeit shitty ones), Jensen's sure that he wouldn't think twice about them staying friends. Yet the thought gives Jensen a weird feeling - almost akin to disappointment and there's only reason why.

He likes Jared.

He _like_ likes him and he doesn't want this to be the end.

"Are you okay?" Jared asks just as Jensen comes to his mental conclusion.

"I'm good," he replies. He takes a breath. "I was just wondering if..." He trails off as an uncharacteristic wave of nervousness hits him. Hell, his palms might even be a little sweaty.

Jared eyes him warily. "If...?"

"If you maybe want to do this for real," Jensen says quickly, moving to clarify when he sees Jared looking confused. "Like a real date. Without us faking for Tom's benefit."

"Oh!" Jared says in surprise. Jensen can't help looking down at the floor as he waits for Jared to elaborate. That his immediate answer isn't yes causes Jensen to think that he might get the dreaded _'can I have time to think about it_?' and then he'll be angsting about it for the foreseeable future and the answer might still be no.

"I'd like that," Jared answers eventually and when Jensen looks up, it's to illuminated eyes and an even brighter smile. Given that Jared looked miserable when he first beckoned Jensen over all those hours ago, he's glad that he's the one to put a smile on his face - again. It makes Jensen feel kind of... _happy_ , as sappy and ridiculous as that sounds.

"Awesome," he says upon realising that they're just staring at each other. "We should exchange numbers. And then I guess I'll call you?" Jared nods eagerly and whips out his cell and hands it over. When that's done, there's a short moment where they both flounder before settling on a brief but tight hug. After another awkward pause they laugh nervously and say their goodbyes quickly because they’re heading in different directions.

Jensen's just reached his car when his phone buzzes with a message.

_See u in class. Save me a place! :)_

He laughs softly as he replies. _I always do._

\- Fin


End file.
